By Gavin Staindl
ROUND One of Dandenong District Cricket Association finished last Saturday and it was the weather which played the biggest part on the day.
With heavy rain throughout the week, the pitches around the state were wet and slow.
As a result, the bowlers from Turf One and Two clubs had a field day.
From all the games covered by the Star on the weekend five players took five-wicket hauls; every team batting on Saturday lost, and on average every team scored 90 runs less than the previous week.
@BT Sub Sport News:TURF ONE
Berwick d Hallam-Kalora Park
The cross-town rivalry between Hallam-Kalora Park and Berwick boiled down to the remaining over before Berwick walked away with the first innings points.
After the first day at the Hallam Recreation Reserve was cancelled due to pitch conditions, last Saturday was turned into a one-dayer. Opener Leigh Booth blasted an even 100 not out to get Hallam-Kalora Park off to a flying start. Nigel Hepponstall (45 not out) partnered Booth and together they put on 90 runs to lead the home side to a 40-over total of 2/181.
In reply, Berwick posted some big scores for themselves. Brad Francis made 55 and Berwick had a win in sight. However, a dominant bowling performance by Cory Booth (3/22) saw the Wickers lose five wickets for 33 runs and with two new batters at the crease, the 11 required runs was no longer a certainty.
Fortunately for Berwick, Josh Holden was able to step up and he single handedly hit Berwick to the winning score of 8/182 with two balls to spare.
@BT Sub Sport News:Doveton d Narre Warren
Doveton has comfortably defended their day one total of 217 after they bowled the Magpies out for 129 at Robinson Reserve.
After ripping through the top order and taking seven wickets for only 62 runs, the Doves appeared in cruise control for the whole day.
The home side was only troubled late when tail-ender Trent Anderson and Dwayne Scott refused to give in. Anderson made a stubborn ten of 90 balls while Scott made 41 before being run out.
Opening bowler Corrie Wilson (6/50) was the clearly best of the bowlers.
@BT Sub Sport News:TURF TWO
Lyndale d Fountain Gate
Day one at Barry Powell Reserve last week saw 15 wickets fall and it was much the same last Saturday as the last five Fountain Gate wickets fell for 62 runs.
Unfortunately for Fountain Gate it was seven runs too short to claim first innings honours as they were bowled out for 105.
Michael Gallaher shone through the bad weather to take 6/52.
The Lyndale second innings kept alive the trait of cheap wickets managing only 96.
James Haupt and Nick Scanlon took all 10 wickets between them.
In reply, Fountain Gate fell agonisingly short as they could only manage 7/102, one run short of the overall victory. Andrew Gleave made 50 not out but could only watch as Scanlon and Bracebridge were run out trying to scamper for the winning single.
@BT Sub Sport News:Berwick d Maranatha Methodist
After securing a score of 263, Berwick had a comfortable total to defend at Arch Brown Reserve.
To make matters easier, Maranatha struggled with the bat even to the point where one bat failed to make it to the crease and had to be recorded as absent.
The Bears’ bowlers all worked well with Carl Sutton (2/37) dismissing the openers, Matt Crosby (2/35) taking care of the middle order and David Dalzotto (2/17) swiping out the tail.
In the end, the young Maranatha side succumbed and if it was not for junior keeper Brendan Wilson (26) and Jeff Thom (28 not out) then the score card could have looked far worse than the 167 posted.
@BT Sub Sport News:Cranbourne d Springvale South
Cranbourne showed the class between Turf One and Turf Two Cricket after they smashed Springvale South.
Despite being the worst of the Turf One teams last year, the relegated Cranbourne annihilated Springvale South last week posting 9/273 then blitzed their batting line up on Saturday for a lousy 102. Captain Ross Woodall led the team scoring 59 with the bat then bowled 15 overs for a return of 6/34.
Jason Williams also backed up his captain by bowling nine overs for 2/12.
It is clear Cranbourne will be the team to beat in Turf Two this season.
@BT Sub Sport News:HSD d Southern Pirates
The Southern Priates were always going to struggle to match the 318 set by HSD at Watcher Reserve and in the end they were not even close, making only 147.
HSD opener Justin Davis sucked the life out of the Pirates taking five wickets for 28 runs, including opener Chris Perry (27) who was looking very dangerous early on.
Paul Stockdale also picked up late wickets to improve his figures to 3/51.
Second drop Martyn Cull was the lone Pirate to fly the flag. His unbeaten 50 was staged as the wickets dropped all around him.
@BT Sub Sport News:Dandenong West d Hampton Park
It was a good day at Booth Reserve for the Dandy bowlers as they swept through the Hampton Park batting line up.
Even though they were defending a modest 173, the Dandenong West bowlers restricted the Redbacks to 123.
The opening bowlers had a battle within a battle to see who turned the better figures. Andrew Harry bowled well with 16-10-2-11, but it was Doug Loudon who was a step infront with 16-10-2-7.
In the end, Dileepa Dharmapriya took out the bowling honours with three wickets for 35 runs. In the second innings, Dandenong West number four Chandana Surgie Don belted a quick 50 not out but it was only for personal records as Dandy cruised to a comfortable first innings win.
